An endless resource

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed. — Isaiah 54:10

At some point in our caregiving journey, we will feel spent. We will find ourselves running on empty, tired of caring and perhaps even wishing we could just give up. While our physical and emotional resources are limited, our tasks of caring aren’t. To keep going, many of us will try to draw strength from a variety of sources. We may motivate ourselves with the appreciation of those we care for, the praise of friends and family, our sense of compassion and duty, or the ministry of friends, sermons, and devotionals. Though pr ecious, these sources of strength will never be sufficient. Only God can truly sustain us on the journey of caregiving. He is the only source of strength that never runs dry. His love for us is unfailing (Isaiah 54:10), and only an intimate relationship with Him can provide us with the strength to care for others as He does. When you are running dry, remember this: God longs to know you intimately, to hear your needs and worries. He wants you to run to Him for strength, and He wants to listen to you. Nothing pleases Him as much as you depending on Him constantly and sharing your heart with Him. Of course, you may find it challenging to spend time with God each day. But don’t blame yourself if you can’t spend as much time with Him as you feel you should. In Differ ent Dream Parenting, writer Jolene Philo encourages parents of special needs

children to trust God to create opportunities for them to seek Him, and to let Him give them the creativity to find pockets of time to pray and read His Word. “He’s no t keeping score,” she says of God. “He is not in competition with your child. He charged you with the care of your child as surely as He called you into relationship with Him. So you can trust Him to provide ways for you to foster your relationship with Him and your child . . . You can trust Him to create those opportunities because He’s committed to growing a relationship with you.”

Father, stir in me a longing to know you deeply and intimately. May my thirst for you grow stronger each day, and may I learn what it means to live in intimate communication with you as I walk through each day in prayer.

Creative ways to spend time with God

• Listen to audio versions of the Bible, devotions, or sermons while driving or doing chores. • Read large-print editions of the Bible during repetitive tasks that allow you to look elsewhere. • Memorise Bible verses in the morning and recite them during the day. • Read devotions online or on your mobile phone when you’re taking public transport.

Source: Different Dream Parenting